Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), in cooperation with the Ministry of Sports and Youth and the Qatar Chess Federation, has concluded the competitions of the third edition of the primary school chess project “Naqla.”
The closing ceremony was attended by Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, MoEHE Undersecretary; Maha Zayed Al Ruwaile, Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs; Mohammed Ahmed Al Mudahka, President of the Qatar Chess Federation.
On this occasion, Fatima Youssef Al Obaidli, Assistant Director of the Schools and Students Affairs Department, said: “We are proud of the outstanding levels achieved by our students and the strong competitive spirit and honorable performance they demonstrated, reflecting the promising talents and capabilities within our schools. These achievements are not merely results in a tournament, but confident steps toward building a creative generation capable of excellence and innovation.”
For his part, Mohammed Ahmed Al Mudahka, President of the Qatar Chess Federation, emphasized that the project aims to promote chess in primary schools and teach students the rules and principles of the game, which helps develop logical thinking and enhances decision-making skills, positively impacting students’ academic performance.
The final tournament, held at MoEHE building, featured 96 players representing 16 schools. The competition followed the Swiss system format, with six rounds for boys and seven rounds for girls, each game played with a time control of 8 minutes plus a 2-second increment per move using electronic clocks.
In the girls’ individual category, student Masa Ramadan won first place, followed by Amira Al Momani in second place, and Aisha Al Fakhro in third place.
At the girls’ team level, Al Markhiya Primary School for Girls secured first place, followed by Maimouna Primary School for Girls in second place, while Al Bayan First Primary School for Girls took third place.
In the boys’ individual category, student Khaled Al Ziyara won first place, with Hamed Al Ziyara finishing second, and Asser Hijab in third place.
At the boys’ team level, Hittin Model School for Boys claimed first place, followed by Malik bin Anas Model School for Boys in second place, while Khalifa Model School for Boys secured third place.
Winners were honoured with medals and trophies, and participating schools were also recognized in appreciation of their efforts in supporting students and developing their skills.
